potter



; F a I 9;; 1' I A. POTTER.

Projectile.

Patented Sept. 21, 1869.

r inventor:

dished grates ABIATH'ER F, POTTER, or SAN FRANCISCO, ALIFORNI Patent No. 95,137, dated September 21, 1869.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Anm'rnnn F. Po'rrus, of San city and county, in the State of California,

' have invented new and useful Improvements in Projectiles for smooth-bore arms; and I do hereby declare that the following isafull, clear, arid exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annerieddrawinge, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view; Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation; 'gure 3 is a transverse section of the wings of the projectile; I

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a projectile, with hollow head andfalse point; v

Figurefiis a transverse section of the head of a hollow-projectile, showing-the chamber for the percussron or igniting charge, and the chamber for the exploding-charge;

I 'Figures 6, 6, and 6, are perspective views of differout false points for projectiles;

' 7 is a side elevation of a false point, to show thezdlguidingshoulder, and the explodingespindle or n e is a rearelevationofa' false pointofapro- 'gur'e Me a perspective cw o a pro ectile, showing the packing in place;

Figure 10 is a transverse section or 1,118 wings and packing in position; and

. Figure 11 is a pegpective view of the projectile, in

the cartridge-bag, as fixed ammunition. Thenature'of my improvements'consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of devices, de-

scribed and claimed in the following specification, and represented in the drawings.

Toenable others skilledin the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction.

I construct a projectile with a head, a, in any of the known forms of. projectiles, but upon the rear end or side of this head I put three or: more flanges, wings, or blades B B- B, extending backward from the head a, and converging tountoward each other in the centre or in the line R8, of the line of the longitudinal axis of the head'produucd backward, if it be slug-shaped or'conical, or cylindrical, and in the line of one of its diamefere if the head he spherical. The bases or lines of jnnctureof these flanges BB. Bare set spirally around the line It S,and the flangesB B B t-lremselves are set spirally round said line It 8.

This spiral position of the flanges around the line of the longitudinal axis of the head(whichis also the line of prqiectiou when the missile is thrown or fired) causes the air to act upon the flanges or wings, in

their passage through it, when the projectile is thrown froma smooth-bore 'arm, and gives to the projectile the motion claimed, which is that of a rifle-ball.

The. line of juncture of the wings or flanges along the line B S may bemade on a spindle, c, or they may be simply brought together, or the wings may not actually touch each other on 'said line, or extend into the spindle 0, provided their shape and position are such, that if projected toward said line B S, their planes would answer the requirements above named, and would meet in spiral curyes around the line B S.

I also provide projectiles with movable false points, made in such shape and of such material as may be best adapted to the dilierent kinds of work they are intended to perform. Idrill a socket, F, in the head .a of the shot, and fit the false point H into the socket. The projectile being held point tbremost, in its flight, by the action of the flanges BB B, the false point will remain in position, even if 'fitted loosely.

If an explosive shot is needed, I truncate the head a of the projectile, and makea large chamber, F, in it, and an inner chamber, G, in the centre of 1 with vent-holes in the bottom of G,'leadiug through the walls of G into F. I make the false point H of the projectile with a spindle or needle, J, in such position on the rear, of the false point, that when the latter is in position the spindleJ is in .the inner chamber G, and of such length as to reach the bottom of G, when the falsepoint is sent home to a bearing on the head a. In the bottom of G, I put a percussioncap, wafer, or other percussion explosive. In F, I put 'a charge of powder or other explosive. I then put the false point H irito position, putting between it and the head a a ring of compressible matter, K, of such density and thickness that itwill keep the needle J from striking the percussionr matter in G, until the point of the projectileinrpinges on some object, when thrown or fired. i 7

To concentrate the force of the original impact of aprojectile upon a surface of less diameter than the diameter of the projectile, and to drive the firlse point forward by an auxiliary explosion or discharge, I make the chambers F and G, in the head a, of the projectile, as above stated, leaving the wall of the chamber Fin suflicient mass to stand the discharge of the charge in F without bursting. I make the false point H of any desirgd shape at its apex, and with a shoulder, L L, fitting snugly into the upper part of F. I then lead the projectiles head, as stated before. The charge in F isexploded by the original impinging force of the whole projectile, and while the projectile is in a forward motion, The original forward m'otion of the entire projectile acts uponthc false point H, and while the projectile is held up to its point of impingement by the whole force of its original motion, the auxiliary or secondary charge or magazine in the chamber E is exploded. This drives the point H forward by a new and further impulse.

I'provide a projectile, made as above stated, with a sectional packing, E, which liesbetween the flanges B B B of the projectile, and behind the head a. It

,is made of sawdust, felt, or other compressible and elastic material. When ammunition is to be charged and fixed, 1 tiethe cartridge bag N to the projectile by a cord, at the groove D, leavingthe'rear of the cartridge-bag open. I then fill in the cartridge-bag with my sectional packing,sawdnst, felt, oriother elastic substance, and to as greats depth as may be desirable. Upon this I then pour in my powder, and close the whole up by fastening the rear of .the bag. I p

' I do not claim a projectile without wings, provided with a cushion between it'and th behind it; but

What .I do claim, is-

A projectile, provided with wings B B and 'an elas tic cushion, E, between the head and the explosivecharge, substantially as described.

explosive charge 

